How to check your Sisbén score by ID number (and why you see a letter today)

Last updated: July 2026

If you're looking for how Check your Sisbén score by ID number, The short answer is this: you enter sisben.gov.co, You choose the document type, enter the number, and click on "Consulta". It's free, you don't need a password or intermediaries, and it responds in seconds. Now, the part that surprises almost everyone: what appears isn't a number from 0 to 100, but a letter with a sub-level, like C7 or A3. It's not a website error or a problem with your data.

We are Hepacom, the Hechos Para la Comunidad Foundation (NIT 900.841.914-1), and we support families in the southern Aburrá Valley on their journey to decent housing. This is the most frequent question we receive at the office: people look up their "score," see a letter, and think they've been left out of everything. Here we explain how to check correctly, what the result means, and what to do if your document doesn't appear. The process is handled by the National Planning Department (DNP); we simply help you understand it.

How to check your Sisbén score using your ID number, step by step?

The National Planning Department summarizes the process in four steps, and there's no way around it:

1. Visit the official website: www.sisben.gov.co and look for the option "Check your Sisbén group".
2. Select the document type: Citizenship card, identity card, foreigner's card, passport and other documents listed.
3. Enter your identification number, without periods or commas. If the site asks you to complete a security verification, do so.
4. Click on "Consultation"« and wait for the result.

If you're in the certified database, you'll see your name, your ID number, and the group you were classified in. This result comes from the National Certified Database published by the DNP (National Planning Department), so it's the official data, not an estimate. You can download the supporting documentation in PDF format from the same website; we explain how to do this in detail in our guide. Sisbén certificate, which is the document they will ask for when you apply to a program.

Why does the Sisbén system give you a letter instead of a score?

Because the 0-to-100 score no longer exists. That number belonged to Sisbén III, and many people still remember it: that's why we keep looking for the "score" even though the system stopped calculating it years ago. Sisbén IV changed the entire logic. Instead of giving you a score, it estimates your household's ability to generate income by looking at how your family lives, and based on that, it places you in a group. This is how Sisbén itself defines it: there are four classification groups—A, B, C, and D—and each one places people according to their ability to generate income and their living conditions. The steps for the process are published by... National Planning Department, which is the responsible entity.

The change makes sense if you think about it this way: a single number doesn't tell you if there's stable employment in your home, if the children are in school, or if the roof leaks. The classification by groups attempts to reflect that. That's why today, when someone asks you, "What was your Sisbén score?", the correct answer is a letter and a number: A1, B4, C7. And if you see a score from 0 to 100 on any website, be suspicious: it's a sign that the site isn't the official one.

What do the A, B, C, and D groups of the Sisbén mean?

Each letter reflects a different level of living conditions, and within each letter there are numbered subgroups. This is the official Sisbén IV classification:

Hepacom data is based on the official Sisbén IV classification (DNP). The requirements for each social program are set by the administering entity, not Sisbén, and are subject to change. Last updated: July 2026.

Within each letter, the lower the number, the lesser the ability to generate income: someone in A1 is in a more difficult situation than someone in A5, and the same applies within each group. Now, be careful not to jump to conclusions: Sisbén doesn't distribute subsidies. It only classifies you. Each program decides which group it accepts, and that rule is set by the administering entity. If you want to see what each program typically requires, we've broken it down in Which Sisbén group do you need for each subsidy?, And for the specific case of Citizen's Income, we have it separately in which groups receive Citizen's Income.

Common mistakes when checking the Sisbén by ID card

• Search for a score that no longer exists: If you expect a number from 0 to 100, you'll think the query failed. What you should get today is a letter with a sub-level; that IS your result.
• Paying for a consultation that is free: Neither the DNP nor any other office charges for telling you your group or for the certificate. If someone charges you, it's a scam.
• Confusing classification with subsidy: Being in group A doesn't automatically enroll you in anything. You apply separately to the program you're interested in.

What to do if your ID is not registered?

If you see the message "This ID is not registered" when you check, it doesn't mean you've been removed from the system. It almost always means one of two things: you were never given the socioeconomic survey, or your information is outdated. Neither can be fixed online, and that's where many people waste time.

Initial registration is requested at the Sisbén office in your municipality or at the mayor's office, and that's what we'll discuss in How to register in Sisbén for the first time. If you were already registered but your situation changed—you lost your job, a child was born, someone left the household, you moved to a worse home—you should request an updated survey, as explained in How to update the Sisbén survey. That's the only legitimate way for your ranking to reflect reality; we explain it bluntly in How to move up a group in the Sisbén system.

How to recognize fake websites that charge for consultations?

It's worth taking a slow approach here, because this is where most families fall for the scam. The simplest rule is to look at the domain: the official site ends in .gov.co With a period, not a hyphen. An address like sisben-gov.co It's not a state-owned company, no matter how much it copies the colors and logo. That script is the whole trick.

There are two other telltale signs of a fake website. First: it asks you to pay. The consultation and certificate are always free. Second: it shows you a "score" from 0 to 100, because Sisbén IV doesn't calculate that; anyone displaying it is making it up. And no one charging you to "boost your score" can deliver on their promise: the classification comes from the survey, not from a paid service. If you want to recognize these scams before falling for them, we've compiled them in our guide. subsidy scams.

How Hepacom accompanies you

We know that behind a Sisbén inquiry there's almost never mere curiosity: there's a family trying to access a subsidy, healthcare, or housing. If you checked your Sisbén status and don't understand what your group means, or if you were rejected for a program and don't know why, write to us at donaciones@hepacom.org or from contact us And we'll guide you free of charge. Our work is for the decent housing in Colombia, And the Sisbén system is usually the first step on that path. However, let's be clear: the survey, classification, and certificate are handled by the DNP (National Planning Department). Hepacom does not charge fees or manage Sisbén procedures, and no one claiming to do so on our behalf is authorized.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I check my Sisbén score using only my ID number?
Go to www.sisben.gov.co, open "Check your Sisbén group," select "National ID number," enter the number without periods, and click "Check." You don't need a username or password. The result will show your name and the group you are classified in.

What is the Sisbén score required to receive subsidies?
There are no longer any scores. Programs require groups (for example, A or B), and each institution sets its own requirements. Therefore, there is no magic number: check the requirements of the program you are interested in before applying.

Does the Sisbén consultation have a cost?
No. Checking your group and downloading the certificate are free on the official DNP website. Any website or person charging you for this is scamming you.

What does it mean if I get C7 or A3?
The letter represents your group (A extreme poverty, B moderate poverty, C vulnerable, D not poor but not vulnerable) and the number is the sub-level within that group. A lower number indicates less income-generating capacity within the same letter.

How often does my Sisbén group change?
It changes when your survey is updated and your living conditions actually change, or when the DNP cross-references and adjusts its databases. It doesn't change simply by requesting it or paying a third party.

Last updated: July 2026. Information guide. The process is handled by the official entity (National Planning Department — Sisbén). The classification, groups, and requirements for each program are defined by the competent entity and may change; always verify through official channels. Hepacom does not collect or process Sisbén payments or procedures.